


Lying Eyes

by Writerforthem



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky is a home wrecker, Insecure Tony, M/M, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-02 10:20:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14542602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writerforthem/pseuds/Writerforthem
Summary: It’s just a fact.  A fact that’s stored away with all other facts he knows about Steve.  He doesn’t lie.‘Unless the situation calls for it’, that tiny voice in his head whispers.Tony is fairly sure he understands what 'Personal Space' means.  But Steve seems to have forgotten where Bucky is concerned.





	Lying Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> My first ever Avengers work. This is actually a flashback piece from a much longer piece I'm working on. Just not ready to start posting that one yet. In the meantime, I hope someone enjoys this little nugget of a work.

Steve is not a liar. Tony knows this. Like he knows his favorite foods and just what buttons to push to get him all riled up. Like he knows just where to touch him or what each set of his shoulders means. (There are almost thirty different sets by the way.) It’s just a fact. A fact that’s stored away with all other facts he knows about Steve. He doesn’t lie.  
  
_Unless the situation calls for it _, that tiny voice in his head whispers. He pushes it away. Steve has lied to villains. He’s told white lies to the team in order to get a job done. He’s manipulated things to push people to do their best or keep information away from those who would misuse it. But when it really matters? When it comes to THEM? Steve doesn’t lie.__  
  
Right?  
  
Tony watches him with Bucky. His easy smiles and the way he leans into him as he shows him something on the computer. He’s practically in his lap, almost sharing one cushion even as the rest of the couch is empty. It makes Tony want to yank him away and make him sit an acceptable distance away like any other normal human being. But he doesn’t. Because Steve isn’t being unreasonable. He’s told Tony how close he and Bucky were. They’ve always been close. It’s easy to see they’re used to being this close. But it’s not easy to watch.  
  
He turns away. Many times he’s turned away in order to keep from ripping Steve away from his best friend. Things are still good. Steve still comes to bed. He pulls him out of the shop for lunch or dinner together. He’s still with Tony. But that tiny voice in his head won’t stop telling him all about how Steve will eventually choose Bucky. It’s only a matter of time.  
  
He finds himself in Bruce’s lab whenever things aren’t sitting well with him. As much as Bruce insists that he’s ‘Not that kind of doctor’, just sitting in the same room as the guy is like therapy. The calmness that emanates from him does wonders for a heart or mind in turmoil. And more often than not, he’ll ask him what’s wrong or wait for Tony to start talking. He’ll try to offer help in the situation.  
  
He’s looking over some of Bruce’s math on his most recent research when Bruce finally sighs and drops the papers in his hands on the table. “Out with it.”  
  
Tony doesn’t turn to him. For once, he wishes this were a ‘not asking’ day. “Out with what?”  
  
“You’re ruining the calm just by sitting there. Just tell me.”  
  
So maybe it’s his own fault it’s an ‘asking day’. He’s been a bit jittery. “There’s nothing to tell.”  
  
“You’ve been looking over the same page for five minutes, Tony. You could check those calculations in your sleep.” He pulls his chair over to sit next to him. “Speak. Now.”  
  
Tony sighs, finally dropping his own papers. “I… haven’t figured out what to say yet.”  
  
“Too bad. We’re going to do this now because I can literally see it eating away at you. Is it Steve?”  
  
He rubs the back of his neck. “How’d you guess?”  
  
“Nothing bothers you like Steve,” Bruce points out. “Nothing makes you speechless like Steve. I’ll venture as far as to say that if you’re doing anything out of the ordinary, it’s because of Steve.” He smirks.  
  
Tony glares at him. “Stop that. Don’t make that face. It doesn’t look good on you.” He looks away when Bruce only stares.  
  
Bruce tilts his head when Tony still doesn’t look like he’s going to start talking. “It’s never this hard to get you to talk.” He frowns. “Is it bad? I haven’t seen you guys fight lately. You both seemed fine.”  
  
Tony nods. “We are fine. That’s just it. We’re fine. But… for how long?”  
  
Bruce’s frown deepens. "I don't think I follow."  
  
“How long until he realizes that with James back, he doesn’t have to settle with me?”  
  
A beat of silence. “I’m sorry, what?”  
  
Tony tries to smile. “I’m smart enough to realize that Bucky had first dibs. It was illegal back then, but Steve never made it a secret that his best buddy was his most favorite person in the world. Why would that change now that he’s back?”  
  
Bruce holds up a hand, his eyes falling closed with a sigh. “Wait. You think Steve is going to leave you for Bucky?”  
  
Tony shrugs. “Why not?”  
  
“Why- Because he _loves _you, you idiot! He wouldn’t leave you for anything!”__  
  
“Except his long lost best friend that he seems to be glued to on the couch upstairs,” Tony mutters.  
  
“Tony…” His head falls into his hands, which scrub over his face and move to massage his temples. Why does he even ask?  
  
“Maybe I should do it first,” he murmurs.  
  
Bruce’s head shoots back up. “You most certainly should _not _.”__  
  
Tony acts as if he didn’t hear him. “That’s an idea.”  
  
“A _bad _idea! Tony, you’re just feeling jealous. Steve hasn’t left you. He’s not _going _to leave you. He’s re-learning his best friend right now but he still comes back to you, doesn’t he? He hasn’t ignored you or forgotten date nights, right? You went out for lunch yesterday! Gave the paps another toothache with your ridiculous lovey-dovey faces when they were trying to get some drama for their columns!”____  
  
Tony isn’t listening. He’s weighing the pros and cons. Wait for Steve to do it and be unprepared. Do it first and be ready for the pain. Wait for Steve to do it and keep him for as long as possible. Do it first and save himself from the weeks of uncertainty. But breaking up with Steve… Could he do it? He nods to himself. Says it out loud, trying to believe it. “I’m going to break up with Steve.”  
  
“ _What? _”__  
  
Both heads snap to face the door, taking in the pale Steve Rogers standing frozen just inside the room. The door falls closed behind him, the small click seeming to echo in the silence. He’s holding a plate of sandwiches, which he quickly sets down on a table before he drops it, shaking hands sinking into his pockets afterwards.  
  
His eyes haven’t left Tony. “You’re… breaking up with me?” His shoulders are slumped (set number 20; for when he feels helpless), eyes already starting to water.  
  
Tony can’t answer. Is caught off-guard. Doesn’t know what he could say to make Steve stop looking at him like that when he was planning on doing this anyway. But that’s okay, because Steve continues, unprompted.  
  
“I mean… I thought we were okay. I’ve been spending a lot of time with Bucky lately but I’ve tried to make sure you didn’t feel left out. Our date nights have been fine, right? You seemed happy.” He takes a step forward, but jerks to a stop as if he is unsure the move would be wanted. “Are you not? Happy, I mean? Did… did I do something wrong?”  
  
The clear question in his blue, watery eyes is what does Tony in. Along with the absurdity of Steve doing something wrong. “Of course not!” he chokes out, feeling his own eyes burn.  
  
“Then why…” Steve swallows sharply, looking down when a tear finally escapes. He sniffs and tries to casually brush it away. “I just…” he looks back to Tony’s face, “Please.”  
  
Tony’s heart stutters. Doesn’t remember Steve ever asking for something so earnestly.  
  
More tears escape now. “Please don’t break up with me. Whatever it is, I’ll fix it. I promise. Just name it. I can’t…” He finally can’t stay away, going around the table between them to pull Tony into his arms. “Just tell me what I have to do. _Please _.”__  
  
Bruce, forgotten by the other two for the past couple minutes, sighs softly. “Just tell him you aren’t going to leave him for Bucky and to stop being an idiot.” He turns away and feigns looking over some papers on another table to give them the semblance of privacy.  
  
Steve stiffens at that new information, calming himself and frowning down at the top of Tony’s head.  
  
Tony feels his gaze, but decides to be a coward. He tucks his face down into Steve’s chest, both hiding and reveling in the closeness. How did he ever think that he’d be able to give this man up?  
  
“Tony?” Steve sniffs again, one hand going up to wipe his face while the other stays tightly around his back and holds him in place. “Is that what you’re afraid of?”  
  
“Not a baseless fear,” he finally mumbles into his chest.  
  
Steve sighs in exasperation and relief. “Oh thank God.” He cups the back of Tony’s head and pulls him even tighter against his chest. “If that’s all I have to fix then it’ll be easy. I’m not leaving you for Bucky,” he sighs, still feeling a bit freaked out. “Ever. You’re it for me, Tones. He’s my best friend. My brother. We grew up together and I’m thrilled that he’s back. That I get to have more time with him. But he’ll never be able to take your place. I know you’re the kind of person who would step aside and I know how Bucky and I act together. I’m sorry. I should have made myself clear as soon as he came back.”  
  
Tony pulls back now, not looking up. “Don’t apologize. I wasn’t trying to make you feel like this is your fault.”  
  
Steve takes his face in his hands, tilting it up. “Look at me, please?” He smiles when Tony finally meets his eyes. “Don’t let fear like that fester. Okay? Don’t hold it in so long that you decide to do something like breaking up with me and give me a heart attack. Alright?”  
  
Tony smiles a little. His eyes fall closed and he feels himself center once again when Steve kisses him softly. “Okay,” he breathes when they separate.  
  
Steve smiles when Tony’s eyes open again. “I love you. You’re it for me. You don't have to worry about me leaving you for someone else. I promise.”  
  
Tony meets his eyes. Can read them as clearly as Jarvis’ codes. He knows Steve’s lying eyes. Just like he knows everything else. These… are not them.

**Author's Note:**

> https://ko-fi.com/writerforthem


End file.
